Written Answers Tuesday 10 February 2009

Scottish Executive

Access for Disabled People

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18831 by Stewart Stevenson on 8 January 2009, whether it will be re-advertising for new members of the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland in order to make the further appointments expected.

Stewart Stevenson: The Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland will be advertising for new members in order to make further appointments. MACS recently commenced discussions with the Scottish Government’s Public Appointments Unit and the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland in order to establish the best course of action to attract potential members.

Access for Disabled People

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18835 by Stewart Stevenson on 8 January 2009, how much funding the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS) will receive from the 2008-09 budget and how this compares with the funding that MACS has received in the past.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18835 on 8 January 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Children

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when its working group on clothing grants will report.

Adam Ingram: A draft of the final report is currently being considered by the Short Life Working Group and thereafter it will be submitted to ministers.

Concessionary Travel

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18862 by Stewart Stevenson on 11 December 2008, what consideration is being given to the introduction of free travel on trains for concessionary travel pass holders.

Stewart Stevenson: The review of the Scotland-wide Free Bus Travel Scheme for Older and Disabled People is nearing completion. A report of the review is being finalised and I expect to receive it shortly.

Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards setting up an independent body to represent the parents of school pupils.

Fiona Hyslop: In October 2008 we commissioned a survey of parent council views on this issue. I expect to have the benefit of the results by Easter.

Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how often the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning has met representatives of the Scottish Parent Teacher Council and Scottish Parent Councils Association in the last 12 months.

Fiona Hyslop: I have not met formally with either organisation in the past year, although I regularly engage with representatives of individual parent councils and parent teacher associations during the course of visits to schools. The Minister for Children and Early Years attended the Scottish Parent Teacher Council’s 60th anniversary Conference in November 2008.

Fish

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which body is responsible for regulating the siting and operation of fin fish cages in fresh water.

Richard Lochhead: Planning authorities are responsible for determining applications for planning permission for siting of fish farms in fresh water.

  The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for regulating discharges from fresh water fish farm sites.

  The Fisheries Research Services, Fish Health Inspectorate are responsible for monitoring the health of fish.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what studies were undertaken on the public transport provision around the existing Forth Road Bridge prior to the decision to use it for public transport instead of the proposed Forth Replacement Crossing, as originally planned.

Stewart Stevenson: We plan to publish the study reports which support the decision to use the Forth Road Bridge as a dedicated public transport corridor by the end of February 2009.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether studies of public transport provision around the existing Forth Road Bridge will be undertaken following the decision to use it for public transport instead of the proposed Forth Replacement Crossing, as originally planned.

Stewart Stevenson: Studies of public transport provision around the existing Forth Road Bridge are on-going.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will improve public transport provision around the existing Forth Road Bridge following the decision to use it for public transport instead of the proposed Forth Replacement Crossing, as originally planned.

Stewart Stevenson: Yes, improving public transport provision remains a key objective of this project and the Strategic Transport Projects Review.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the potential costs of any changes needed to public transport provision around the existing Forth Road Bridge were included in the estimated cost of the proposed Forth Replacement Crossing.

Stewart Stevenson: The cost estimates of £1.7 billion to £2.3 billion include scope for facilitating improvements to public transport, but not specific provisions beyond the use for buses. We are continuing to work with the local authorities regarding specific measures.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the status is of the suggestion to build a park-and-ride facility at Echline.

Stewart Stevenson: The construction of a park-and-ride facility at Echline is currently under consideration.

  Transport Scotland will continue to work with the local authorities on this matter.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what it would cost to build a park-and-ride facility at Echline and whether that cost is included in the proposed costs of between £1.7 and £2.3 billion for the proposed Forth Replacement Crossing.

Stewart Stevenson: The cost of building a park-and-ride facility at Echline still stands to be established.

  By utilising the existing road construction and lighting, the costs would be minimised, and would likely be in the order of £1 million to £1.5 million.

  This has not been included in the Forth Replacement Crossing project costs.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions Transport Scotland has had with the City of Edinburgh Council, bus operators and other key stakeholders about increasing public transport availability as a result of the proposed Forth Replacement Crossing.

Stewart Stevenson: Since the feasibility stage of the Forth Replacement Crossing project, Transport Scotland has held regular discussions with the local authorities, SEStran, and key stakeholders with regards to the project development, including possible measures to increase public transport availability, which is a key objective of the project.

  In developing our plans for a dedicated public transport corridor, Transport Scotland met with bus operating companies to discuss opportunities for facilitating and increasing public transport across the Forth and to ensure our strategy is aligned.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether estimates have been made of the increase in carbon emissions that would result from the construction and operation of the proposed Forth Replacement Crossing.

Stewart Stevenson: The carbon emissions from the construction have been estimated and will be detailed in the Study Reports planned for publication before the end of February 2009.

  Those arising from the operation of the replacement crossing will be estimated as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) which Transport Scotland is currently undertaking. The results will be reported in the Environmental Statement later in 2009.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessments have been undertaken by Transport Scotland of baseline air quality and noise levels in the residential areas affected by the building of the proposed Forth Replacement Crossing.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland is currently undertaking an assessment of air quality and noise, including assessment of baseline levels within the route corridor, as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment for the proposed Forth Replacement Crossing.

  The results will be published in the Environmental Statement later in 2009.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will decide on any compensation package to be available to householders affected by the building of the proposed Forth Replacement Crossing.

Stewart Stevenson: The law relating to compensation and compulsory purchase is complex and the rules that will apply to the Forth Replacement Crossing will not be finally defined until the Act has been secured.

  In the meanwhile, affected householders have been advised at recent public exhibitions that the information contained within the Guidance on the Compulsory Purchase Process and Compensation booklet, published by Transport Scotland in 2007, provides a general overview as it relates to schemes promoted by means of Roads Orders. We intend to revise this general guidance in the context of the bill procedures in the spring.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the timetable for the building of the proposed Forth Replacement Crossing has not been reduced, given the downgrading of the bridge design and related road networks.

Stewart Stevenson: The timetable for constructing the Forth Replacement Crossing has not changed: the bridge is the critical construction activity and although the width of the bridge has been reduced, the design and construction operations have to be undertaken in a certain sequence, which do not result in a materially shorter duration for construction of a bridge of this scale.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason there will be no dedicated space for pedestrians or cyclists on the proposed Forth Replacement Crossing.

Stewart Stevenson: As the existing facilities for pedestrians and cyclists on the Forth Road Bridge are more than adequate, additional provision on the replacement crossing is neither required nor a good use of resources.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what body will be responsible for the administration of the proposed Forth Replacement Crossing.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland will be responsible for the Forth Replacement Crossing project on behalf of Scottish ministers.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many buses it expects to cross the existing Forth Road Bridge on a daily basis following the opening of the proposed Forth Replacement Crossing.

Stewart Stevenson: The forecast for assumed minimum bus numbers crossing the Forth Road Bridge is based on existing services which call at Ferrytoll park and ride and cross the Forth Road Bridge. The current bus service level to and from Ferrytoll and crossing the Forth are 537 buses per day. Frequencies modelled in the peak periods are: 26 per hour in the morning, and 25 per hour in the evening. The creation of a public transport only crossing is expected to increase bus numbers.

Forth Crossing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the on-going revenue and maintenance costs will be of the existing Forth Road Bridge following the opening of the proposed Forth Replacement Crossing.

Stewart Stevenson: Maintenance of the existing Forth Road Bridge will remain a matter for the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA). The Scottish Government hold regular discussions with FETA regarding their capital programme and the costs associated with this.

  We anticipate that removing the weight of traffic loading from the existing bridge will obviate the need for much of the traffic related repair, maintenance work and refurbishment work required.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the independent review team (IRT) into the Clostridium difficile related deaths at the Vale of Leven Hospital has now completed its follow-up review of the progress made by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in implementing the seven recommendations contained in the IRT’s original report from August 2008 and what the outcome was.

Nicola Sturgeon: The independent review team, including a patient and family representative, has now concluded its follow up review and its findings are published today.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many test purchases of knives were conducted in the last year, broken down by police force.

Fergus Ewing: Information on the number of test purchases of knives is not held centrally. This is a matter for individual police forces and relevant agencies.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many stop and searches were conducted by police officers in the last year, broken down by police force.

Fergus Ewing: Information on the number of stop and searches conducted by police officers is not held centrally. This is a matter for individual police forces. However, statistics collected on the year long Safer Scotland anti-violence campaign show that the campaign proved a success in targeting knife and alcohol-related violence across Scotland. Figures taken from the Safer Scotland Anti Violence Campaign 06-07 Final Report show that some 74,000 searches were carried out. Further statistics can be found in the report itself, the link to the website is:

  http://www.actiononviolence.co.uk/aov/files/Safer%20Scotland%20final%20report%2006%20-%2007.pdf.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many knives were seized by the police in the last year, broken down by police force.

Fergus Ewing: Information on the number of knives seized by the police is not held centrally. This is a matter for individual police forces. However, statistics collected on the year long Safer Scotland anti-violence campaign show that the campaign proved a success in targeting knife and alcohol-related violence across Scotland. Figures taken from the Safer Scotland Anti Violence Campaign 06-07 Final Report show that the campaign’s crackdown on those carrying knives saw some 1,375 knives seized nationwide. Further statistics can be found in the report itself, the link to the website is:

  http://www.actiononviolence.co.uk/aov/files/Safer%20Scotland%20final%20report%2006%20-%2007.pdf.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many knives were seized by the police as a result of stop and searches in the last year, broken down by police force.

Fergus Ewing: Information on the number of knives seized by the police as a result of stop and searches is not held centrally. This is a matter for individual police forces. However, statistics collected on the year long Safer Scotland anti-violence campaign show that the campaign proved a success in targeting knife and alcohol-related violence across Scotland. Figures taken from the Safer Scotland Anti Violence Campaign 06-07 Final Report show that the campaign’s crackdown on those carrying knives saw some 74,000 searches carried out resulting in 1,375 knives being seized. Further statistics can be found in the report itself, the link to the website is:

  http://www.actiononviolence.co.uk/aov/files/Safer%20Scotland%20final%20report%2006%20-%2007.pdf.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offensive weapons were seized by the police as a result of stop and searches in the last year, broken down by (a) type of weapon and (b) police force.

Fergus Ewing: Information on the number of offensive weapons seized by the police as a result of stop and searches is not held centrally. This is a matter for individual police forces. However, statistics collected on the year long Safer Scotland anti-violence campaign show that the campaign proved a success in targeting knife and alcohol-related violence across Scotland. Figures taken from the Safer Scotland Anti Violence Campaign 06-07 Final Report  show that some 74,000 searches were carried out resulting in 1,375 knives and 1,165 other weapons being seized. Further statistics can be found in the report itself, the link to the website is:

  http://www.actiononviolence.co.uk/aov/files/Safer%20Scotland%20final%20report%2006%20-%2007.pdf.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many knives were surrendered voluntarily at police stations in the last year, broken down by police force.

Fergus Ewing: Information on the number of knives surrendered voluntarily at police stations is not held centrally. This is a matter for individual police forces. However, statistics collected on the year long Safer Scotland anti-violence campaign show that the campaign proved a success in targeting knife and alcohol related violence across Scotland. Figures taken from the Safer Scotland Anti Violence Campaign 06-07 Final Report show that the campaign saw some 12,645 weapons surrendered. Further statistics can be found in the report itself, the link to the website is:

  http://www.actiononviolence.co.uk/aov/files/Safer%20Scotland%20final%20report%2006%20-%2007.pdf.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offensive weapons were surrendered voluntarily at police stations in the last year, broken down by (a) type of weapon and (b) police force.

Fergus Ewing: Information on the number of offensive weapons surrendered voluntarily at police stations is not held centrally. This is a matter for individual police forces. However, statistics collected on the year long Safer Scotland anti-violence campaign show that the campaign proved a success in targeting knife and alcohol-related violence across Scotland. Figures taken from the Safer Scotland Anti Violence Campaign 06-07 Final Report show that the campaign saw some 12,645 weapons surrendered. Further statistics can be found in the report itself, the link to the website is:

  http://www.actiononviolence.co.uk/aov/files/Safer%20Scotland%20final%20report%2006%20-%2007.pdf.

Pre-School Education

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the new rating categories due to be implemented in April 2009, what level of care, development and education will be provided to children aged three and four.

Adam Ingram: The Care Commission’s new grading system was introduced in April 2008 and applies to all the care services that the commission regulates, including day care of children. The grading system is based on quality themes and statements, and links in with the quality indicators set out in the Child at the Centre. There are no plans to introduce new rating categories in April 2009.

Regeneration

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a further £60 million for town centre regeneration will be allocated in 2010-11.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government has made clear its intention to introduce a new £60 million Town Centre Regeneration Fund as part of the 2009-10 Budget package. We have no present plans for provision in 2010-11.

Road Safety

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend the use of average speed cameras on the A77 to include the sections south of Girvan not currently covered.

Stewart Stevenson: There are currently no plans to extend average speed cameras on the A77. The potential to introduce more average speed cameras on the Scottish trunk road network to reduce casualties will be informed by an assessment of the accident data for the A77 average speed camera system.

  The three year after accident data was published on the A77 Safety Group website on 30 October 2008. These figures are now being fully assessed and are due to be reported on by 31 March 2009. The findings will be published on the website, www.a77safetygroup.com, shortly thereafter.

Roads

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what traffic modelling has been undertaken to identify the impact on traffic levels of the proposed new road layout of the A904 at Newton.

Stewart Stevenson: Traffic modelling has been undertaken using the Transport Model for Scotland. This supplies traffic forecasts which take into account travel demand associated with household and jobs growth and trip distribution and mode choice.

Scottish Government Procurement

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of food served on its premises is sourced in Scotland.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s catering provision seeks to maximise the use of local, seasonable produce whenever possible. Depending on the season, around 75% of all perishable produce is sourced in Scotland.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Procurement

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what percentage of food served in the Scottish Parliament is sourced in Scotland.

Alex Johnstone: The SPCB is committed to increasing the amount of Scottish produce used within the Scottish Parliament and we are currently working with our catering partner to achieve this through the provision of fresh and seasonal food items.

  It is not possible to give an accurate total percentage figure of Scottish sourced food served in the Scottish Parliament, as figures will change for some food types due to availability dictated by seasons, stock levels and price. All chicken, pork, milk, cream and bread products used are sourced in Scotland. In addition, when in season, we use vegetables grown in Scotland and endeavour to source Scottish produced foods, such as beef, lamb, fish and fruit when stocks and prices allow.